In a move that surprised few Monroe residents, developer John Kimball confirmed Tuesday that a Wal-Mart superstore will be built on Victoria Drive off Main Street.

The identity of the big box retailer has been rumored since the fall, when Kimball first went before the town's planning and zoning commission to seek approval for a 161,000-square-foot tenant at 2 Victoria Drive, near the Swiss Army corporate headquarters. Initially, the development team decided to keep the identity of the tenant quiet.

"The land use process is supposed to be about the use, not the name of the tenant and a lot of times that gets confused by the public," Kimball said.

But many suspected that Wal-Mart would be filling the space, and the prospect angered some residents, who feared that Wal-Mart's construction will put smaller stores in town out of business. First Selectman Steve Vavrek acknowledged that he has heard a variety of opinions about building a Wal-Mart at the site, but said that would be the case for any big box retailer.

"It's always been split between people wanting commercial growth and those wanting to keep the aesthetic of the town," he said, adding that he thought the development team did a great job in making the project "aesthetically pleasing."

Kimball said Wal-Mart was chosen because of its expansive shopping options. "Since Monroe has very little existing in terms of shopping opportunities, we needed an anchor tenant that brought a variety of goods into the market," he said.

Along with general merchandise, Wal-Mart superstores include a full range of groceries, including fresh produce, meat and dairy products, a bakery, deli and pharmacy. The store will also include a garden center.

The project will be built on 40 acres and require road improvements and construction of a wastewater treatment facility.

"This new store will mean approximately 300 jobs, most of them full-time, and a new, affordable shopping option for the community," said William C. Wertz, a Wal-Mart spokesman.

A groundbreaking is dependent on the conclusion of a lawsuit the town of Trumbull filed against Monroe and Kimball earlier this year. The suit was based on concerns about the impact of storm runoff from the project into the Pequonnock River.

Although Trumbull announced a settlement earlier this month, Kimball said court dates are still being scheduled. "As soon as we can get that resolved, we should be able to get on in scheduling the construction start," he said.

Wertz said the building process takes about a year after plans are approved and construction begins.

Wal-Mart has 11 superstores in Connecticut, along with 23 general merchandise stores, two neighborhood markets and three Sam's Clubs.